Greytown Music Group Chamber Music Concerts 2017

Chamber Music originated in the Middle Ages, with singers and small groups of players entertaining kings and nobles in chambers – large rooms – in palaces and castles. During the 18th and 19th centuries composers were often employed by aristocrats, and music was performed for their friends and family. Boccherini composed for the King of Spain, Haydn for Count Esterhazy,who played the baryton,( a small 7 string instrument similar to a cello), Mozart for King Frederick Wilhelm of Prussia, a cellist, and many of Beethoven’s string quartets were composed for and performed with Count Razumovsky on second violin.

Many orchestral musicians long to play chamber music in small groups where each player has his or her own part, and the melodies often interweave through in a conversational way, with answering phrases.

Because of its intimate nature chamber music has been described as the “music of friends”, and this friendly atmosphere has been encouraged by Ed and Juliet Cooke in their living room in Greytown. The performers generally speak to the audience about their music and themselves in order to make the audience feel more involved with the performance, and after the concerts there is time for players and audience to mingle over a cup of tea.

Concerts for this year are:
Sunday 23 April 4pm – Mark Menzies and Guests: Old and new music on old and new instruments
Saturday 27 May 4pm – Christopher Hutton: Reflecting Bach – music for solo cello Sunday 25 June 4pm – Aroha Ensemble: String Trio – Beethoven, Sibelius and Mozart
Sunday 23 July 4pm – Pettman Ensemble: piano quintet – Lilburn, Bliss, Cowan and Elgar
Saturday 19 August 7.30pm – Les Bons Vivants: Music for flute, violin and harp with Joie de vivre
Sunday 8 October 4pm – Amici Ensemble: Rossini Duo, Shostakovich Trio, and Schubert’s Trout Quintet.

All concerts will be at 57 Wood St, Greytown. For further details, contact Ed and Juliet on 304 9497.